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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015.12.10 PacketDraft Minutes☒ Approved Minutes☐ Approved Date: Minutes City Of Edina, Minnesota Human Rights and Relations Commission City Hall, Community Room November 17, 2015 at 7:00pm I. Call To Order Chair Arseneault called the November 17th, 2015 Human Rights and Relations Commission meeting to order at 7:01 PM. II. Roll Call Answering roll call were Chair Arseneault, Commissioners Burza, Kennedy, Rinn, Seidman, Tian, Vecchio-Smith, and Student Commissioners Kearney and Ramesh. Staff present: HRRC Staff Liaison MJ Lamon and City Management Fellow Devin Massopust. Absent Members: Commissioner Winnick III. Approval Of Meeting Agenda Motion by Kennedy to approve the November 17, 2015 Human Rights and Relations Commission meeting agenda. Motion seconded by Seidman. Motion carried. IV. Approval Of Meeting Minutes Motion by Rinn to approve the October 27, 2015 minutes. Motion seconded by Seidman. Motion carried. V. Special Recognitions and Presentations A. Arnie Bigbee, Community Conversations Report Arnie Bigbee gave a presentation to the Commission about the history of the Community Conversations project and the recent conclusion of the listening sessions. He noted it was a great experience and that the results will hopefully allow the community to develop and mature. VI. Community Comment None. VII. Reports/Recommendations Draft Minutes☒ Approved Minutes☐ Approved Date: A. City Council Work Session Recap The Commission discussed their recent work session with the Edina City Council and follow up action for the commission based upon the meeting, including the Mayor’s suggestion regarding an event about cultural understanding in light of recent events in Paris. Motion by Seidman to add a new event to the 2016 Work Plan tentatively titled “Sharing Values and Sharing Communities”. Motion seconded by Tian. Motion carried. B. 2015 Work Plan Updates 1. Human Services Funding Task Force Commissioner Rinn updated the Commission on the status of the Human Services Funding Task Force and that the City Council reviewed the Task Force’s recommendation and will approve it at the following City Council meeting. 2. League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions Commissioner Kennedy reported on the annual meeting of the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions on November 7, 2015. A new President (David Singleton) was elected. 3. Human Rights City Designation Commissioner Kennedy let the Commission know that there are five confirmed dates so far for presentations regarding the Human Rights City Designation on November 24th, January 28th, February 11th and 13t h and March 7. C. Preparation for December Televised Meeting The Commission reviewed what would be taking place at the December 10th televised meeting; the commission will follow our regular meeting agenda, beginning with a special presentation by guest speaker Government Affairs Consultant Sarah Walker. About 35 minutes is estimated for Ms. Walker’s presentation (20-25 minutes presentation with up to 10 minutes for questions). VIII. Correspondence and Petitions None. IX. Chair and Member Comments Draft Minutes☒ Approved Minutes☐ Approved Date: • Commissioner Seidman let the Commission know that their work is being noticed in the community, especially as it relates to the Days of Remembrance Event and that people in the public want to know when the next event is being held. • Commissioner Burza shared that she thought the work session with the City Council went well and was pleased by the meeting. • Commissioner Kearney stated that the events in Paris bring to light the important work that is being done at the local level by the Commission. • Commissioner Rhamesh noted that he is looking forward to seeing the report that is produced from the Community Conversations events. • Chair Arseneault told the Commission that the Bias Offense Response team convened on November 9th about an incident that occurred at Wooddale Park and the response protocol was being followed. X. Staff Comments Staff Liaison Lamon stated that on December 1st applications for commissioner reappointments will be sent out. XI. Calendar of Events XII. Adjournment Motion by Kennedy to adjourn the November 17th HRRC meeting at 8:37 PM. Motion seconded by Seidman. Motion carried. Community Conversations Working Group Report To Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission December 10, 2015 Background In 2014, the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission adopted a new initiative called Community Conversations, a series of structured listening sessions modeled after the work of The Advocates for Human Rights. The commission’s objective was to discover how residents of Edina, especially those of diverse backgrounds, experienced our community. The Advocates for Human Rights evolved the process for Community Conversations to include several principles, including openness, confidentiality, and accuracy in recording comments. The Conversations, called “listening sessions,” were held in easily accessible locations in neighborhoods with which the residents were familiar and comfortable. Snacks and refreshments were provided to encourage sharing. The Process Each Conversation listening session consisted of three main parts: (1) asking participants to identify the qualities of the perfect welcoming community; (2) small group discussions around one central question, “What is your experience of being welcomed in Edina?;” and (3) gathering feedback from the small group discussions. Demographics Overall, six Conversation listening sessions were held, in November 2014 and October 2015. Out of the seventy-five Edina residents who participated, fifty participants completed demographic questionnaires. The demographic forms indicated: • 23 female / 27 male • 30 white / 2 African American / 4 African / 9 Asian-Pacific Islander / 1 Latino- Hispanic / 1 American Indian-Alaska Native • Age range: 9 – 87 years Average age 49 years / Median age 54 years • Languages spoken: English / German / French / Spanish / Chinese / Somali / Swahili Qualities Participants’ Identified as the Perfect Welcoming Community Housing Participants expressed that ideal housing should be safe, clean, quiet, affordable to rent or buy, with available community gathering spaces. Community Participants’ comments regarding the ideal community included: • Feeling welcome, with people reaching out especially to newcomers • Being invited to participate and contribute in the community • Identifying themselves with those in positions of authority • Having easy (multilingual) access to resources such as food, banks, medical care, libraries, schools, child care • Having a diverse community • Being accepting of diversity and different religious faiths • Providing resources to support and encourage multicultural and economic diversity • Having good signage in the community in the variety of languages spoken by residents • Having advocacy groups to support legal aid and medical care needs • Being respected Education Participants’ comments regarding ideal education included: • Children being able to attend strong schools in their neighborhoods • Residents of Edina having open enrollment for children in Edina Public Schools • Providing workshops on housing, work and education in schools Safety Participants’ comments regarding an ideal safe community included: • Feeling safe in home and neighborhood • Having friendly police officers • Having crime free or low crime neighborhoods • Having freedom from bullying Mobility Participants’ comments regarding ideal mobility included: • Having bountiful public transportation that connects people to places they want to go • Having safe sidewalks that make neighborhoods easy to navigate • Having well maintained streets • Having walking and biking trails • Having access to “nice ride” bikes in the neighborhood Conversations Feedback Participants shared experiences and provided feedback on areas that could be improved. Participants expressed the following: With Regard to Housing • There is not easy access to housing that is affordable to rent or own. • In our neighborhood, we experience noise and vandalism. • There are not adequate spaces for children to play, especially in bad weather. • There are no community gathering spaces that afford easy gathering of informal groups. • Sometimes it seems like Edina wants to get rid of affordable housing. With Regard to the Community • Edina feels like a close knit and superior group that doesn’t let others in. • Residents who are not citizens feel like they have no voice in Edina. • My language and culture make me feel like there are barriers to participating. • Sometimes the city is not responsive to citizen issues. • Not all public and private facilities are fully accessible for those with disabilities. • The City of Edina and the Edina Public Schools tax, and spend, wisely. • We like the increasing food diversity. • There is no art from my culture in the Edina art events or fairs. • Where is the Edina Department of Social Services? • Edina City Magazine and About Town don’t reflect the diversity of Edina. • Politician outreach is good. • I’ve heard people call my neighborhood “the ghetto of Edina.” • When families in our neighborhood need help with food or clothing we go to other communities - there don’t seem to be helping resources in Edina. • There seems to be a stigma for seeking helping resources in Edina. • It’s lonely here - I feel like I live on an island. With Regard to Education • We like that the school bus drivers are all employees of Edina Public Schools. • We can’t always easily afford the extra costs of transportation, computers, internet, uniforms, equipment, etc. for required or extracurricular activities in Edina Public Schools. • Sometimes it seems like we are “priced out of fitting in”. • The City of Edina needs to partner more with Edina Public Schools to learn more about cultural outreach and diversity initiatives. • Our kids did not win the lottery to attend Edina Public Schools- then the private schools convenient to us said our kids were “not a good fit” for their programs. • Our kids are bullied at school for being from Edina. • Edina Public Schools treats kids with disabilities very well. • The staff is not very diverse in Edina Public Schools. With Regard to Safety • Police have a positive relationship through events like the parade. • Our neighborhood experiences vandalism. • Our kids are bullied by kids from a nearby apartment building. • It seems like Edina police harass me with frequent traffic stops (I’m black). • Edina police don’t seem to understand the rules for international drivers’ license holders - the police say “tell it to the judge” and when we do, the citation is dismissed. This is an expensive inconvenience for me to take time off of work and appear in court. • Edina police need more diversity training. • We are black and we are stopped several times each year by Edina police officers and they don’t tell us of a violation but ask “What are you doing here?” or “Where are you going?” If I ask why I was stopped, the officer appears to look around trying to find a reason for the arbitrary traffic stop. • Our friends from another suburb, who are black, experience arbitrary traffic stops on about one of ten of their visits to Edina. • My children, who are black, have been stopped by police while walking on the sidewalks in our neighborhood. With Regard to Mobility • There is no convenient public transit in our neighborhood. • Schedules and routes are not convenient for us. • Bus schedules are hard to understand. • Some pedestrian crossings on France Avenue are still problematic. • We need more access to transit to get to and from education, work, public and retail services. • Would Uber type system work in Edina? • Maybe the MTC and the Edina Public Schools buses should operate a single public transit system in Edina to saturate the city. • In most areas of Edina there is adequate parking. • Bus stops in Edina in the winter are atrocious. Conclusions Overall, the Working Group finds the Community Conversations initiative a success. The sizable participant turnout produced significant feedback that could help us in making Edina a more welcoming community. Participants ranged in age and ethnic background, spoke multiple languages, were relatively balanced by gender, and lived in a wide variety of neighborhoods in Edina. Participants shared their experiences in five major facets of Edina life – with regard to housing, education, safety, mobility and community life itself, and in doing so, identified areas that could be improved. Some findings highlight concerns already shared by members of the Human Rights and Relations Commission, and other data collected serve to shed light on new areas of concern that could help to further improve the quality of life for Edina residents. The Working Group herby concludes its work and turns over its findings for the Commission’s consideration. Acknowledgements The Advocates for Human Rights, represented primarily by Madeline Lohman, supplied training and encouragement while commission member Arnie Bigbee recruited volunteers, many of whom became instrumental in the completion of the Conversations. Commissioner Bigbee served as Chair of the Working Group, and continued in his dedication to see the Conversations completed as a community volunteer. It is important to acknowledge the support of and contribution to this activity by the members of the Edina City Council, the City Manager and the support staff in several City departments. Members of the Commission also made substantial contributions to the Conversations in 2015 including Chair Patrice Arseneault, member Jasna Burza, and student commissioners Caitlin Kearney and Sidharth Ramesh. Community volunteers included: Maggie Goetze, Charlie Goldstein, Mary Kost, Sallie Lewis, Katie Oberle, Melvin Ogurak, Leonard Snyder, Chris Bremer, Judith Rodgers, Katie Meehan and Sidharth Ramesh, who began as a community member and continued working on the project as a student commissioner. All were generous in volunteering their time. A special thanks is owed to community volunteer Katie Meehan, who was extraordinary with the insight, energy and commitment she brought to the Conversations process planning and execution. And finally, it is important to acknowledge the leadership and support of the Edina Public Schools. Superintendent Ric Dressen along with Mary Manderfeld led several of their staff who specialize in diversity and multicultural initiatives to participate in the Conversations. Report, Human Rights Cities Presentation Ellen Kennedy Date and event: November 24, 2015 Edina Morningside Rotary Club Number of attendees: 48; comment cards completed: 12 Overall evaluation of the presentation: 10 excellent, 1 good, 1 fair Understanding of the human rights city initiative: 1 excellent, 8 good, 3 fair Suggested issues for us to address: Discrimination Incarceration and educational disparities Elder rights Youth homelessness Education as affected by culture, culture as it affects work Achievement gap - we can do better in Edina! what will it take? Training for police on restraint in use of deadly force Things we can do on a small scale to improve the human rights situation. Attendees' demographics: Occupation 7 business; 2 nonprofit; 1 law; 1 retired; 1 education Where live: 6 Edina; 4 other suburb; 2 Mpls or St. Paul Other comments: Thank you for a very comprehensive and passionate presentation. So glad that the EHRC is active and forward-looking; It makes Edina a better place (signed by Ken Dragseth). Get citizen input before plan is put into effect. Wonderful - facts full. Stories might create a deeper impact on audience. Thank you. What are we doing about Moslem (sic) population in the US in 2040 or 2050? Their religion will be in the majority and they do not practice human rights (signed but I will keep this anonymous). OVERVIEW PAGE FOR DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE: Each year, The City of Edina and the Human Rights and Relations Commission (HRRC) hosts an annual “Days of Remembrance” event with the goal of remembering those who perished and honoring the survivors, rescuers and liberators of the Hholocaust and other genocides around the world that continue to impact our residents today. The initial request to acknowledge the “Days of Remembrance” came from an Edina resident in 2011 who thought this was something the City of Edina should acknowledge and support. In 2012, the Edina City Council and Mayor Jim Hovland approved a proclamation indicating the City of Edina would recognize the National Days of Remembrance annually in memory of victims of the Holocaust and encourage the community to reflect on the need for respect for all people. April was also designated as Genocide Awareness and prevention month in Minnesota by Governor Dayton. This bill encourages organizations to sponsor events that educate the public and to remember those whose lives and cultures have been forever changed.[TT1] In 2014, Edina acknowledged the 20th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide as well as the crises in the Congo where six million people have perished since 1996. In 2015, we recognized the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII and the liberation of Auschwitz. The City of Edina and the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission recognizes Days of Remembrance and Genocide Awareness annually at Edina City Hall in April or May. Our community members have heard about the impact on denial of genocides on families and victims. We also heard about the courage, dreams and lessons learned from survivors. Previous survivors who have presented include: Fred Baron- successful businessman and holocaust survivor who passed away at the age of 91 in 2014; Fred Amram – retired University of MN professor; Dora Zaidenweber – author, speaker and holocaust survivor. Edina also presents holocaust and genocide videos on Edina Channel 16 highlighting the stories of Minnesota residents who have survived the holocaust and the impact on their families and the local communities around them. SUGGESTED NAME OF PAGE LISTED FOR LEFT HAND SIDE BAR: Days of Remembrance: Holocaust and Genocide Awareness[TT2] Suggested Captions for video links: Fred Baron 2011 video: speaker, businessman and holocaust survivor; Fred speaks about his experiences after surviving multiple internments in concentration camps in Poland and Germany and the lessons that can be learned from the Holocaust. Fred Amram 2014 video: author, speaker and holocaust survivor; Fred is a retired University of MN professor who speaks about his experiences during the Holocaust as well as the courage needed to take a stand and become an “Upstander” for human rights instead of a bystander. Dora Zaidenweber 2015 video: author, speaker and holocaust survivor; Dora Zaidenweber, along with author, artist and moderator, Susan Weinberg, spoke about Dora’s experiences, her family’s triumph over adversity and their courage to survive. Dora believes in speaking out about her experiences and has educated many young people, teachers and individuals about the Holocaust. If there is a lesson to be learned from the Holocaust, Dora believes “if you do nothing and ignore what is happening when others are being persecuted, you are no different than those who perpetrate the crimes.” Dora shares her efforts to inspire the public to take important steps to reduce discrimination and hate. I think these are all good videos to link! 39T 3 9 TBoard/Commission: Human Rights and Relations Commission 2016 Annual Work Plan Proposal Initiative 1 ☐☐☐☐ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☒☒☒☒ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Tom Oye Award April 2016 $100 1. 1.Register Attendance at event 2. Track Nominations 3. 3. Update Website Progress Report: Initiative 2 ☐☐☐☐ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☒☒☒☒ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Days of Remembrance April 2016 $1,000 1. Audio/Video – requires 2 CTS staff to come to event and complete video follow up 2. Marketing Pieces – CTS request 3. Meeting Space – secure City Hall, tables, chairs, easels 4. Communication – Social media, press release 5. Attend event Most of the staff support required is required from the CTS department. The liaison helps facilitate the requests. With attending the event there are many hours of staff support for this event. Progress Report: Initiative 3 ☐☐☐☐ New Initiative ☒☒☒☒ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Human Rights City Designation December 2016 $200 1. Meeting Space – secure rooms 2. Audio/Video – CTS staff to assist with taping The HRRC is hoping to secure Human Rights City Designation in the year 2016. 3. Communication – social media, press release Progress Report: Initiative 4 ☐☐☐☐ New Initiative ☒☒☒☒ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Community Conversations December 2016 None 1. Meeting Space 2. Report to CC The Human Rights City Designation hopes to use some of the information gathered from these meetings. Progress Report: Initiative 5 ☐☐☐☐ New Initiative ☒☒☒☒ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Affordable Housing Expanding Opportunity 1. Continued education on affordable housing 2. Monitor status of Edina 3. Support current efforts December 2016 None 1. Administrative 2. Connecting with the committee as the topic arises at the City Most of this committee’s work has been surrounding and supporting the Edina Housing Foundations Affordable Housing Policy. They have also been in support and watching 66 West project. Progress Report: Initiative 6 ☒☒☒☒ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Convention of the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) • Resolution • Education November 2016 $500 1. Audio/Video – CTS staff to be at event 2. Marketing Pieces – CTS request 3. Meeting space – securing space 4. Communications 34T34T Progress Report: Initiative 7 ☒☒☒☒ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Indigenous Peoples Day Designation September 2016 None 1. Admin support – submitting reports to City Council The request is not to replace Columbus Day but to adopt a designation for Indigenous Peoples Day. Progress Report: Initiative 8 ☒☒☒☒ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Co-sponsor Community Conversation with Edina Public Schools PCN (Parent Communication Network) October 2016 $150 1. Marketing pieces for event – CTS request 2. Communications One commission members is very well linked to the PCN. The topic has not been selected yet, but possibly ideas are “How to talk to your children: Race, Religion, and other Challenging Conversations” or Parents as Equity Educations” Progress Report: Initiative 9 ☒☒☒☒ New Initiative ☐☐☐☐ Continued Initiative ☐☐☐☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required (To be completed by Staff Liaison) Liaison Comments Sharing Value and Sharing Communities • Community Event February 2016 $200 1. Marketing pieces for event – CTS request 2. Communications This event was added following the City Council work session on 11/17. Mayor asked HRRC to consider an event about “tolerance”. Idea is to bring representatives from multiple religions together for an event. Progress Report: Ongoing Responsibilities Edina Resource Center/Edina Community Council – HRRC Rep September to May, 3 year term Website/Blog Bias Offense Response and Prevention Plan: Review annually HRRC Rep to Human Services Task Force Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years Partnership with Health Commission on prescription drug abuse awareness. Food Justice Initiative Proposed Month for Joint Work Session (one time per year, up to 60 minutes): July 2016 Council Comments: I I c. 4, 5) E ct) 0 ce) g -E.Mtn0.,9000 -0 6 t; woo bol '11 0 a) 0 bp Q.) O 2 0 •P 0;.4 ca, PI) m 0 ..6 g 7,) t +gh b .p :o 4 0 0 E0ma„ccica..iy, g '2: ct 2, I -42 c.) s0 c4 5 1.) o 71,4 L41 ° 04 ftC '13 82,-651 02 0 (0 -0 oor tenants ti: mov 0 tt• Aq APARTMENTS from Bi The cities allege that other forms of government affordable housing rules assistance. have pushed an excess of It's a scenario being low-income residents into played out across the Twin their communities, while Cities, housing advocates other suburbs take less than say. With apartment vacancy their fair share. Richfield, for rates in the metro area hov- example, has about 40 per- ering around 2 percent, land- cent more Section 8 vouchers lords have the market clout per resident than neighbor- to raise rents and refuse ing Bloomington — and six vouchers, both steps that times as many as neighbor- tend to force out low-income ing Edina. residents. "This is the kind of invest- "Crossroads is a huge ment we want," Goettel said. example of this happening, "We are getting investment in and I think we're going to a complex that has not had it continue to see it across the in decades not in years, but metro area," said Eric Hauge, hi. decades." an organizer with Home Line, a nonprofit tenant advocacy Owner:We're being fair group. "It's not illegal to dis- The man making that criminate against poor peo- investment said things will ple." sort themselves out eventu- Jim Soderberg, new owner ally. of the Concierge, said his "I've been in the business company is making a valu- a long time," Soderberg said. able investment in the future "People will find new places of Richfield. The city's more to live easier than everyone than 7,000 apartment units, realizes." He said when he most of them built in the started in the apartment busi- 1950s and '60s, are tired and ness more than 30 years ago, run down, he said. he specialized in taking Sec- "If I were going to name tion 8 tenants. the biggest challenge to Rich- "At first, that's ail took," field in the next five years, it he said. "For various reasons would be renovating these I don't really want to get into, 50-year-old apartment build- I'm not really thrilled with ings," he said. "We think this the program. It's a voluntary will have a more positive program and we've decided impact on Richfield than the not to volunteer." In fact, a Best Buy headquarters." 2010 decision by the Minne- sota Court of Appeals explic- Few legal remedies itly upheld landlords' rights Redevelopment of the to decline participation in Concierge has galvanized Section 8 housing. housing advocates. As many Soderberg, who special- as 2,000 people lived at the izes in "problem properties complex, an estimated 40 and rundown properties," percent of them Latino. said his post-renovation Concierge residents "are monthly rents of around people who are working hard $900 will still be in the afford- to provide for themselves and able range for the Twin Cit- their families," said Melissa ies rental market. All but two Melnick, leader of Tapestry, of the 700 apartments at the a multicultural and bilingual Concierge are one-bedroom ministry housed at nearby units. Woodlake Lutheran Church. Soderberg said he's "Simply because people are worked with residents and poor doesn't mean they don't advocates to make the change make good neighbors. Jesus easier. Most of the residents was a refugee and an immi- were on 30-day leases, but grant." he's given them extra time There's little that can be to find new housing. done legally to help cur- "We could have gotten rent Concierge residents, them out by Halloween," he housing advocates said, and said. And after meeting with more than half of the resi- the Richfield schools super- dents have already moved intendent, he agreed to give out. The city can't do much families with children in either, said Mayor Debbie the Richfield schools until Goettel. May 31 to vacate although "This is a private real they'll be charged the new, estate deal," she said. "They higher rent. are asking for no zoning Soderberg promises a changes or any other excep- "spectacular, condo-quality tions. They were informed renovation" that will bring of grants available for afford- lasting benefit to the city. able housing and theyvveren't "When you get to the interested." point where things are so But Goettel also appreci- rundown, you attract unde- ates the upgrade to one of sirable residents," he said. the city's signature proper- "You get to the point where ties. Richfield — along with good, responsible people Brooldyn Park and irooklyn don't want to live in these Center — is actively pursu- apartments." ing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and John Reirian 612-673-7402 Urban Development. Readers Write RICHFIELD APARTMENT COMPLEX Nothing less than social justice is at stake in redevelopment Thanks for shedding light on the mass dis- placement of my neighbors and me — thousands of low-income, immigrant and minority Richfield residents ("Apartment redevelopment forces poor tenants to move," Nov. 17). We have lived in our homes five, 10 or 20-plus years, making substan- tial contributions to our community, while relying on nearby transit, community services, and local employment and education opportunities. This is more than a housing issue; it is a story about racial 4ridnconomic justice. I. tie responses of the landlord and the city of Richfield demonstrate the ignorance and racism prevalent in our community. City and school lead- ers met with the landlord without inclusion ofresi- dents, announcing that failed negotiations were "satisfactory" and that the "investment" displac- ing thousands is what the city wants. The city's involvement in a yearlong federal HUD complaint is blatantly discriminatory, failing to address how many low-income and minority residents wish to remain in our community. We want to choose where to live, not be forced out because the city is not comfortable with who lives here. We call on city and community leaders to demand more out of businesses. Responsible busi- nesses do not describe residents as "undesirable," use intimidation tactics, and force massive rent increases while households face harmful and dis- rupting renovations, and they do not use biased rental screening to push people out. Jim Soderberg, owner of the apartment complex discussed in the story, describes his business plan as having a more positive impact than Best Buy's headquarters. Does Best Buy agree that displacing thousands of fami- lies — its immediate neighbors — is the greatest thing the city has experienced since moving its business here? Let's work together to find a way to keep our homes affordable now and for future residents who need homes near these important resources. LINDA LEE SODERSTROM, Richfield • • • The coverage of the Richfield property slated for renovation highlights a common occurrence in the Twin Cities, one where poor people are sac- rificed to legitimate business and local govern- ment concerns. No one is seeing the big picture. I don't fault developer Soderberg for restoring a 50-year-old apartment complex. And the city of Richfield comes out ahead with abetter-managed property and strengthened tax base. But these individual gains contribute to a situation where low-income people have fewer and fewer alter- natives. We have seen the number of very affordable apartments drop by one-half since the year 2000. The Metropolitan Council recently pointed out that during that same time period, the number of families paying over half of their income for hous- ing doubled. Connect the dots! State and metro leaders must face up to the deteriorating housing situation facing our region's growing population of those who cannot afford the "condo-quality reno- vation" promised in Richfield. CHIP HALBACH, St. Paul The writer is director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership. Sunnier 2015 , other Warriors Call: 411-342-6662 Write: winvoice@attmet Stop in: 2_711 W. Michigan Milwaukee, WI 5320817 i sit: welfarewarriors org and Welfare Warriors on Facehook In Case YouWere Wondering What -You Can Do As White Folks In America are forced onto government subsidies because Walmart won't pay them a living wage. Please join with Walmart workers who are calling on the company to pay their fair share everywhere. You can stand with these workers by Tweeting and Posting about the report using #WahnartTaxHavens and #Walmart. Making Change at Walma info@changewalmartor americansfortaxfairness.or Celebrate American Incians not Columbus Hon. Ron Erhardt and Hon. Melissa Franzen, Minnesota Senate, Please support the bill to replace Columbus Day with American Indian and Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday in October. It is entirely fitting—and woefully overdue. Columbus Day celebrates a period of unparalleled genocide, slavery, and theft. No single act can compensate or adequately apologize for the horrific fate that befell millions of native people after Columbus arrived here. But it's a start. It is time we celebrate Native American culture and history rather than the subjugation, and genocide o Indian nations. With thanks in advance, Sandford Berma Edina, 6i:b!rintoi hsNry 111 (1) Stop threatening to withdrawal your support as if the purpose of BlacicLivesMatter is to gain your support. Black people are fighting for our liberation on our terms, whether or not white liberals approve. (2) Democrats need 90 to 95% support from black voters to win the White House (and voter turn out needs to be at record levels). Is it not reasonable and just for such a sizable base of support to expect our issues be addressed? Shouldn't our issues receive as much clarity and specificity as the issues of the 43 to 49 % of white voters that vote Democrat? (3) Black women are the MOST loyal Democratic voting base. And we are sick and tired of waiting for justice. We've more than put in our dues. And along the way we've learned a few things. We will not sit down and wait our turn, because our turn never comes. (4) Yes, we need to talk to white progressives. Yes we are talking to you out of love, because you claim to share our values. There is a war on our communities. Our babies are being murdered and disappeared to jail cells and detention camps spreading like weeds across the country. We are screaming #blacIdivesmatter to you because w( need you to scream it everywhere. White Supremacy relies on your complacency. It relies on good white liberals to care more about a presidential rally than Mike Brown, or Eric Garner, or Tamir Rice, or Sandra Bland, or Dontre Hamilton, or Tony Robinson etc:, etc., etc. (5) Do not tell me black folks should go protest the Republicans as if (a) we didn't just get done protesting the debates (b) we haven't been getting arrested sitting in at GOP offices across the US, and (c) as if disrupting a crowd of vigilante gun enthusiasts isn't slightly more dangerous for black folks than for white folks. (6) I could keep going, but I can see that people are feeling extra emotional. Though I doubt you are as emotional as Mike Brown's parents at his funeral. This is a lot to process so I'm going to leave it here and ask you to engage in some self-reflection. Jennifer Epps-Addison Wisconsin JobsNow.org page 6 Mother Warriors Voice ACK Ti BY SUSAN J. DOUGLAS No Parental Leave Makes Jack a Dull Boy AFTER THE CARNIVALESQUE REPUBLICAN DEBATES showcasing bombast like Donald Trump's utterly preposter- ous "build a wall" idea, or Carly Fiorina's shameful calls to defund Planned Parenthood, or Chris Christie and Rand Paul just screaming at each other, the Democratic debate provided a welcome zone of substance and sanity. De- spite their differences, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton focused on a less sensational but crucially important issue: paid family leave. As Sanders put it, "Every other major country on Earth, every one, including some small coun- tries, say that when a mother has a baby, she should stay home with that baby. ... [It] is an international embar- rassment that we do not provide paid family and medical leave" Ditto for Clinton: "I want to do more to help us balance family and work [and] it's about time we had paid family leave for American families and join the rest of the world:' Read it and weep: A new study by the Russell Sage Founda- tion, "Too Many Children Left Behind," compares the United States with three other English- speaking countries, and we come up far short. Australia offers new parents 18 weeks of paid leave, Canada offers a year, and the UK offers nine months. And us? We guarantee a paltry 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and only for gov- ernment employees or people who have worked full-time for 20 weeks at companies with more than 50 workers. Estimates are that only about 12 percent of private-sector U.S. workers have access to paid leave. The Sage study provides compelling data to support the need not only for paid family leave, but also for high- quality early childhood education for all kids. Because the United States has the most stingy and retrograde family policies of any developed country, our children are not doing as well educationally as children elsewhere. In 2012, 15-year-olds in at least 22 countries, including Estonia, Slovenia, Vietnam and Latvia, had higher math scores than U.S. kids, based on the Programme for International Stu- dent Assessment (PISA). Our results were only marginally better for science literacy. And our poor showing is based, in part, on significant socioeconomic differences among our children. As income inequality continues to soar in our country, it has a powerful and determining impact on kids who are not well-off, and thus on our collective future. Their indifference to inequality aside, you'd think the GOP might care about this, given that, as The Atlantic reported, "PISA scores are an economic indicator: rising scores are a good sign that a country's economy will grow as well:' "Too Many Children Left Behind" provides compel- ling evidence that the achievement gap begins even before American children start kindergarten. The study found that "inequalities in children's cognitive skills at school entry are significantly larger in the United States than they are in the other three countries:' in part because privileged children can go to high-quality preschool programs while others often cannot. This hurts children from poor families and exacerbates generational poverty. But the study also found that middle- income families are squeezed: Middle-income mothers typically work the longest hours, yet their wages have stagnated and they often can't afford preschool, let alone private school. Meanwhile, wealthy families have been "in- vesting a larger share of their re- sources in their children" in what the authors liken to an achievement "arms race" So, American children from middle-income families have more in common with their poorer peers at school than their wealthier ones. Because the first five years of life are so crucial to cognitive and emotional development, these inequities can have lifelong consequences for these children, their financial well-being and for us as a society. Much of this is a result of our government's profound disengagement from supporting families and children. In particular, the study blames the lack of comprehensive work- family policies, such as universal pre-K and paid sick leave. The resultant inequality of opportunity is "not inevitable" How can we remedy this? Institute paid family leave so all parents have time to nurture their children. Provide high- quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. Raise the mini- mum wage and increase tax credits for parents and the poor. This country is leaving way too many children behind—and it can do better. M Better family policies could level the playing field for children of low- and middle-income backgrounds. AN/SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO BY MILICA IN THESE TIMES DECEMBER 2015 15 Indian Summer 2015 Warriors ICE e-r Call: 414-342-6662 Write: winvoice@attnet Stop I n: 2711W. Michigan Milwaukee, Wi 53208Visit: welfarewarriors.org and Welfa -e Wan', us on Facebook fAt.K Rather than arresting the homeless, the state of Utah has reduced chronic homelessness by 91% by providing them with permanent housing. Even better, Utah has SAVED money because housing costs the state $11,000 a year while sailing them costs $17,000 a year. 1E. IF YOU WANT YOUR ATE TO 110 TEE SAME , Simple Solution fo Homeless: F-Inw Fl y the end of 2015, the chronically homeless population of Utah may be virtually gone. And the secret is quite simple: Give homes to the homeless. "We call it Housing First, employment second," said Lloyd Pendleton, director of Utah's Homeless Task Force. Even Pendleton used to think trying to eradicate homelessness using such an approach was foolish. "I said: 'You must be smoking something. This is totally unrealistic," Pendleton said. But the results are hard to dispute. In 2005, Utah was home to 1,932 chronically homeless. By April 2015, there were only 178—a 91 percent drop statewide. "It's a philosophical shift in how we go about it," Pendleton said. "We put them in housing first .. and then help them begin to deal with the issues that caused them to be homeless." Chronically homeless persons — those living on the streets for more than a year, or for four times in three years, and have a debilitating condition — make up 10 percent of Utah's homeless population. But they take up more than 50 percent of the state's resources for the homeless. It costs Utah $19,208 on average per year to care for a chronically tiomeless person. This includes health and jail costs. Pendleton found that to house and provide a caseworker for the same person costs the state about $7,800. "It's more humane, and it's cheaper," Pendleton said. "I call them 'homeless citizens.'. They're not them and us. It's 'we.' For six years, Suzi Wright and her sons, DJ and Brian, shuttled among friend's homes, a van and the Salt Lake City homeless shelter. After Utah gave Wright a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, she got a job as a cleaning supervisor at her apartment complex. "It makes you feel a lot better about yourself, just being able to support your family," Wright said. . Those given apartments under the Housing First program pay 30 percent of their income for rent or $50, whichever is greater. Army veteran Don Williams had been sleeping under a bush for 10 years when Utah offered him an apartment. When he realized they weren't joking, he "jumped for joy," he said, laughing. "It was a blessing. A real blessing. (Comprehensive Report on Homelessness, Utah 2014) Housing Victory in New Orleans ew Orleans has done something many thought impossible. They are the first US city to end veteran homelessness. On Jan. 2 the city's last known homeless veteran moved into his new apartment. Working with a 60 local agencies, the city identified 227 veterans without housing. They found housing for every single one. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu stated: "We owe our Veterans our eternal gratitude for their service and sacri- fice to this nation. Making sure they have a place to call home is a small but powerful way we can show our appreciation." They took on the issue after being challenged by First Lady Michelle Obama. To date, 312 mayors, six governors, and 71 other county or city officials have accepted the challenge. (Jen Hayden, Daily Kos) page i Mother Warriors Voice There is not a single place in the US where a family with one minimum-wage earner can afford to rent or own a two-bedroom home. Nowhere. According to the Center for Housing Policy, the percentage of people paying more than half of their income for shelter has risen for both renters and owners. HUD puts the number of "rent-poor" households at 12 million. Let's step back and look at fixed incomes. The Social Security Administration reports that the average monthly retirement check is $1,287. The average survivor's benefit is $1,108. And the average disability check is $1,016. The maximum Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability check is $733 for an individual and $1,100 a month for a disabled or elderly couple. Finding a place to live on incomes like these is quite the challenge. What about wages? A minimum wage worker, working 40 hours at $7.25 an hour, earns $1,247 a month. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports. that workers need to work full time and earn at least $19.35 an hour to afford a decent two-bedroom place at current rent levels. Here's a random sample of costs for a typical two bedroom: Birmingham, $761; Boston, $2,144; Flagstaff, $953; Greensboro, $673; Honolulu, $1,577; Los Angeles, $1,832; New York, $2,512; Memphis, $811; Savannah, $795; and Vancouver, $852. The number of people without shelter on any given night is 600,000 (National Alliance to End Homelessness). Nearly half of those who become homeless as a result of foreclosures are renters. The US is facing a shortage of more than 7 million units of affordable to low- income housing. It is not an overstatement to say that we're facing a housing crisis. Why Did This Happen? ..."The Short Answer Is Ronald Reagan." Ronald Reagan ended direct public subsidies, the capital funds to build new public housing. Before that public housing was the primary source of shelter for those unable to pay private sector rents. The Reagan era blamed Public housing for both poverty and segregation. Reagan pushed away from building public housing in favor of subsidizing the private development of housing. Developers, planners and legislators no longer talk about creating public housing. They talk only about creating so-called "affordable" housing. This is merely a scam to put government dollars into private pockets. In the 1930s, '40s, '50s and `60s, public housing was not mortgaged. Banks and insurance companies were not in housing business. And debt service did not need to be factored into rental fees. That is no longer the case. For the past 20 years Congress has provided low- income housing tax credits to wealthy people and corporations. They can write off big sums on their taxes when they construct 'affordable' housing. Whole syndicates of investors build 'affordable' dwellings. It's been a gravy train for investors. And dollar for dollar, this is an incredibly expensive way to build. AND low-income renters are usually priced out of housing deemed "affordable." Tom Angotti, professor of Urban Affairs and Planning at Hunter College in NYC explains, "Affordable housing is a euphemism. We have to ask, affordable for whom? HUD establishes the Area Median Income (AMI) for each city. When an area includes well-heeled individuals, it skews the median income upward. So even when rents are capped at 30 percent of AMI, the rent is out of reach for those with low incomes." And Then Came Clinton "This crisis," Angotti adds, "was further exacerbated by Clinton's continue next page 10.3 million US residents are extremely low income - below 30 percent of median income. But only 3.2 million rental units em. That's a shortage of 7.1 million apartments. page 16 Mother Warriors Voice HOPE 6 program. It allocated $5.8 billion for the construction of mixed-income housing. HOPE 6 allowed public housing authorities to demolish public housing complexes and replace them with low-rise buildings. It didn't happen. 100,000 units of public housing have been lost since HOPE 6 began. There are 354 state-or city-run programs to support rental housing. But very few of them benefit very poor people." 10.3 million US residents are extremely low income - at or below 30 percent of median income. But only 3.2 million rental units are affordable to them. That's a shortage of 7.1 million. "Some new housing is being built," says Andrew Scherer, of the Impact Center for Public interest Law at NY Law School. "But it's not nearly enough, due to ongoing displacement. It's just as important to focus on anti-displacement work - housing preservation - as it is on building new units. "Tenants also need stronger rent protections. In NYC, an apartment gets decontrolled when the monthly rent hits $2,500. Then a landlord can charge whatever they want. Apal talents should not automatically be decontrolled; rents should also not get jacked up whenever an apartment is vacated. This policy provides an incentive to °landlords to increase turnover." Tl.3 only way things will improve is with a federal program that makes housing for low-income people a priority. There are some pockets of support for real solutions to homelessness. Oregon's governor, Kate Brown has proposed a $100 million bond initiative to finance the creation of 3,000 to 4,000 units of housing for the state's poorest residents. This would target homeless families with school-aged children and those being released from jails and prisons. If approved, the initiative will launch in 2016. It will lead to the creation of small modular units to large apartment buildings. In Quixote Village in Olympia, Washington 30 homes overlooking Black Lake Meadows, opened. The 144-square-foot micro-units surround a common kitchen, showers and meeting area. Construction was fmanced by donations and a combination of state, city, county and federal grants. Residents, whose average annual income is less than $3,000, pay between $14 and $300 a month. Residents range from 21 to 64. They have either recently become homeless or have been in-and-out of homelessness for years. They have a Residents' committee, a large garden, and no AA, NA or - counseling on-site. The residents did not want that. The Quixote Village maintenance budget, $240,000 a year, comes from HUD, the rent roll and donations. But even HUD Secretary Julian Castro admits that building communities of 30 - no matter how good they are - is not a solution to the housing crisis. In February, he estimated that it would take approximately $2.5 billion to create 25,000 units of permanent supportive housing for those who need social services in addition to housing. He also asked Congress to authorize $235 million in Housing Choice Vouchers to entice private landlords to rent to the poor. He did not, however, mention the need for government-sponsored public housing for the 7.1 million who've been priced out of market-rate dwellings. In 1937; the Wagner-Stegall Act was passed by Congress. That bill was the nation's first commitment of resources to "provide the most vulnerable Americans with a home that would otherwise be out of reach." Isn't it time to resurrect that demand for today's most vulnerable? kieaner df. Bader Tr bout page i £2015 of Oregon watching people piggii out inside the fence. I was two fe( away (thru a window) of a delicic steak at Ruth Chris Steak House. i -spent one day on the streets of , Portland and learned so much: . . 1. It's no big deal to hold a sign asking for money... because everyone ignores you. I stood on an unoccupied corner for an hour with my sign. It read 'Local business owner trying to understand our homeless problem. All funds to be donated'. Nobody made eye contact. They fiddled with the radio, texted, looked everywhere else. I did make $25.52 in that hour, thanks to one woman who gave me $20. All the people that gave me money were women. I plan on donating $250 to Sisters Of The Road in honor of this experience. 2. I met an 82- yr-old woman sitting on her walker, holding a cup for money in front of Whole Foods. I asked if she sat out every day. She said 'only when my social security runs out and I need to eat'. She wasn't interested in talking. I touched her arm when saying good bye. She teared up and said 'I can't remember the last time someone touched me'. People walked by ignoring her too. 3. I saw a man washing his clothes in the Saturday Market fountains. He laid them out to dry in the sun. They looked great! I was impressed. 4.1 had some wonderful conversations with complete strangers. I wore my 'Kindness Matters' t-shirt. A woman commented that kindness is often mistaken for weakness. We had a deep 5 minute conversation on the philosophy of kindness. I now also know everything about poodles, the breakdown of society in Somalia and the different types of immigrants (economic and political). These were deep, smart conversations. People are lonely and just wanted someone to listen. 5. It's exhausting being homeless. My body hurt from walking and carrying a backpack. There's nowhere comfy to just relax. By 4pm, I was exhausted. So I took a nap on a park bench. For years, I thought that people sleeping on the sidewalk in the day time were strung out druggies. I'm sure some are. But the people I met told me they sleep during the day because it's safer. They can't rest as deeply at night and they are tired! After one day out there, I was grumpy, tired and dehydrated. It sucks! I can't imagine the toll that a week out there would take on a body and spirit 6. I only saw one cop. He was harassing an old man in a wheel chair trying to sell his homemade stuff on the sidewalk. He made the man move because he didn't have a permit. 7. Nobody tried to sell me drugs. But 3 people asked if I had some for sale. 8. I fell in love with Portland in a whole new way. This city is alive and I felt alive in it. I saw a TV show taping, dancing in Directors Park, a dude beautifully playing a flute in front of Powells, three different music acts at the Bite, a miniature stonehenge made out of bananas, numerous history plaques, another band, and the movie Grease on Pioneer Square. I walked by hundreds of people on their phones missing the whole thing. 9. The line between the haves and have nots was very apparent. I was on the outside of the fence at the Bite 10. There are different groups of homeless. There are those interest, in drugs on the waterfront. There those with mental illness wonderir around. But most of those I met wn having a crisis of spirit and trying find themselves. There was an executive from Seattle whose life fell apart when his wife left him. B is trying to pick up the pieces. 11. What can we as a city do? We need to address the big issues of poverty, mental illness and addictioi But we can also do better right now. We need more public restrooms. There aren't enough and they are to far apart. We need more water fountains. We need a public laundromat and bathing facility. We need a public place for people to come in from the elements and relax in safety. We need a place for people to store their belongings so they don't have to carry them around all day (and it litters up our city). 12. What can YOU do? Remember they are people! Talk to them. Listen to them. Acknowledge they exist. Show some fucking compassion! They are tired, sore, malnourished, thirsty, ignored. Being out there takes a huge toll on your spirit. Put down your phone. Pay attention to what is going on outside of yourself. 13. I went home in the early morning hours. My intention was to learn from the people and I did that. I didn't feel unsafe for one minute. I found the people kind and friendly. I wondered what would change if we all just opened our eyes to what is happening instead of ignoring it. Thanks for excusing my grammar. I'm a visionary, not a writer. Rene Spears Small Business Owner Portland Oregon. Mother Warriors Voice page 18 Call: 414-342-.662. winvoice@att.net Stop In 2711W Michigan Milwaukee, WI 53208V1sit: welfarewarri ors.org afia WeJ are W o s on Facebook Published August 22, 1865 in the NY Daily Tribune: The following is a genuine document dictated by an old servant. It contains his ideas and forms of expression." To my Old Master, Col. PH Anderson Big Spring, Tennessee. SIR: I got your letter and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdan, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again. And you promise to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long ago for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about you going to Col. Martin's to kill the Union soldier left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green and Lee. Give my love to them all. Tell them I hope we will meet in a better world, if not this. I would have gone back to visit when I was working in the Nashville Hospital. But a neighbor told me Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance. I want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me? I am doing tolerably well here; I get $25 a month, with victuals and clothing. I have a comfortable home for Mandy (the folks here call her Mrs. Anderson). The children, Milly Jane and Grundy, go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. They go to Sunday-School, and we attend church regularly. We are kindly treated. Sometirnes we overhear others saying "Them colored people were slaves". The children feel hurt when they hear such remarks. But I tell them it was no disgrace in Tennessee to belong to Col. Anderson. Now, if you -will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again. As to my freedom, which you say I can have, there is nothing to be gained on that score. I got my free-papers in 1864 from the Provost-Marshal-General at Nashville. Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you are sincerely disposed to treat us justly and kindly. We have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old sores, and rely on your future justice and friendship. I served you faithfully for thirty- two years, and Mandy twenty years, at $25 a month for me, and $2 a week for Mandy. Our earnings would amount to $11,680. Add to this the interest for the years our wages has been kept back and deduct what you paid for our clothing and three doctor's visits for me, and puffin a tooth for Mandy. The balance will show what we are entitled tc Please send the money by Adams Express, in care of V. Winters, esq. Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past we ca have little faith in your promises in the future. We trust the good Make, has opened your eyes to the wrongs you and your fathers have done to me and mine, in making us to for generations without recompense. Here I draw my wages every Saturday night. But in Tennessee there was never any payday for the negroos any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those whc defraud the laborer of his hire. In answering this letter please state if there would be any safety for my Milly and Jane, who are now grown up and both good looking girls. You know how it was with poor Matilda and Catherine. I would rather stay here and starve and die, if it come to that, than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters. You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood. The great desire of my life now is to give my children an education, and have them form virtuous habits. From your old servant, Jourdan Anderson. P.S.—Say howdy to George Carter. Please thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me. Mother Warriors Voice page 34 -II "The Case for Reparations," Ta-Nehisi Coates of the Atlantic _sets slavery aside to focus on the long plunder of the 20th century. Whites used coercion, violence, and government to exclude blacks from the bounty of US prosperity. The civil rights revolution of the 1960s was vital. But it wasn't a panacea. The problems today—from the raci4, wealth gap to the crumbling ghettos— stem from past racist policies. As Coates puts it, "White supremacy is ... a force so fundamental to the US that it is difficult to imagine the country without it." Black families paid taxes and black soldiers fought for America in Europe and the Pacific. But—from low-interest home loans to money for education—Blacks were barred from the benefits of the G.I. ill. The same federal dollars that built the suburbs kept blacks out of them. The federal government "pioneered the practice of redlining," writes Coates, "Any property it insured had to include a clause forbidding sale of the property to anyone other than whites. Millions of tax dollars flowed into segregated white neighborhoods. Legislatures, mayors, banks, civic groups, and citizens colluded to pin black people into ghettos—overcrowded, overcharged, and undereducated. The case for reparations is obvious. As public policy, the US stole wealth from black people, denied them a shot at prosperity, and deprived them of equal citizenship. And that's just the 20th century. If you include all stolen income from the revolution to secession—the balance falls deep' into the red. In 1860 slaves represented $10 trillion in wealth (by today's dollars). If you compound interest—for the compounding plunder of the next century—you are left with a very large amount of money. Even if your great grandparents never owned slaves or knew blacks, they still reaped the fruits of state- sanctioned and directed theft. They got cheap loans, cheap education, and an unequal playing field. The "wealth option," ie. cash payments, is what we tend to think when we hear "reparations." The federal government would mail checks to individuals, either in a lump sum or spread out over time. This empowers individuals, families, and communities. They blow what they need. Yes, a cash scheme could never be fully fair, but that's not the point. What we want is to heal injury and balance accounts. It could work. On the other end is the policy approach. The federal government would taclde racial inequality at its roots: housing, criminal justice, education, and income inequality. Housing To reduce the hyper-segregation of black life, the federal government would aggressively enforce the Fair Housing Act. It would attack housing and lending discrimination, an_d punish low income communities with exclusionary zoning. It would provide vouchers for those who want to move and subsidize mortgages for those who want to own. It would make huge investments in fransportation to connect low-income blacks to jobs in wealthier, whiter areas. Education State governments could end education budgets based on local property taxes—which harm poor communities, disproportionately blacks. Federal government could invest in school reconstruction, modernization, and higher education subsidies for black Americans. These "in-kind" benefits free up disposable income, like cash payments. &Maud Justice & Income Inequality Feds would put an end to the war on drugs, an end to mass incarceration, and a national re-evaluation of police procedures to reduce racial profiling. And it could include progressive "baby bonds"—federally managed investment accounts with modest annual growth. At $60 billion a year this would help ameliorate wealth inequality for future generations. However a reparations scheme is designed, it would be incredibly unpopular. Our racialized disdain for the "undeserving" and distaste for intrusive government would be the excuse. Even if it happened, the courts would probably kill it. As Coates writes, the money isn't important. What's critical is that we reckon with our national crimes against black Americans, to say nothing of Native Americans and other minority groups. We must wrestle with our history, lest we ignore the "certain sins of the future"—or work-- Jatrielle B4,12lie Adapted from slate.com page 35 f 2015